The Dark Overlord
by Qu33n0f1c3
Summary: A different twist on Vamdemon's emergence on Earth. You'll see him kill, torture, and manipulate his way into the chosen children defense as he prepares to make the kill he arrived for. Implied bad things, especially death, murder, abuse, and rape.
1. I Am Your Master

So I decided to try something new. Normally, I portray Vamdemon as a not so evil creature. However, I know that's not how he really is. That's the beauty of a piece of writing. The author has the artistic license to mold the character into a model of how they want them to be seen. I had a dream the other night of Vamdemon as an extremely violent creature, more so even than portrayed in the show, and this is the result.

* * *

The first thing he felt upon leaving the digital world was a cool breeze. His eyes gazed lazily at the streaks and blurs of blue that flashed by him and the other digimon he had brought with him. The experience was calming, and seemed to last for an eternity.

But as quickly as the serenity had come, it was gone. Suddenly a bright light pierced his vision, causing his eyes to close tightly to protect themselves. The cool sensation was replaced with a painful sting that made the skin on his face feel tight. He forced his eye lids open slightly as to see what had gone wrong.

An orb of light in the sky said it all. He cursed to himself at his lack of consideration as to what time of day it might be on Earth. Fighting immense pain, he frantically scanned to area for shade.

"Vamdemon-sama? What's wrong?" Picodevimon asked worriedly. He flew back and forth around his master. The creature growled at his stupidity.

After a few seconds he spotted a door through his blurred vision. He moved towards it as quickly as he could with the amount of pain he was in. Picodevimon moved to follow.

"I need some time alone." He directed at him angrily, hitting him away weakly, though strong enough to hurl the creature backwards. Reaching forward, he grasped the handle and pulled. The door opened, to his relief. Before his servant could react, and follow him inside, he slammed the door shut.

Darkness enveloped him. The pain that had been steadily building during the minute or so he was outdoors began to subside, leaving a dull ache throughout his body. He turned slightly and locked the door behind him, allowing his body to relax against it.

"Hello?"

He froze, eyes snapping to the place where the voice had come from. It belonged to a boy crouched to floor on the other side of the room. He was much older than any of the chosen children were, but was still young.

"Sir, I don't think any one is allowed in here. This building is used for storage, and-"

"Silence." He commanded with a deep voice. It seemed to reverberate against the walls. Even from across the room he could see the boy's brows furrow in apparent anger

"Look, I don't know who you think you are, but-"

He smirked.

"I am Vamdemon, your new master. You will obey me, and stay quiet, slave."

For a moment the boy was shocked into silence. He shook his head slightly, sure that the 'man' before him was deranged.

"I have to bring this to my father, so if you would please move..."

He glanced at the box the boy had been crouched in front of.

"I don't think you understand, slave." He said with a smirk, and advanced towards the boy. "Whatever you had to do for your...father...doesn't matter any more. I have claimed you as mine, and so you will do as I say."

"Stay away from me." The boy commanded, standing and backing away.

"That isn't how it works, slave." He closed in on the child, and pushed him roughly against the wall. "Servants that don't obey their master are punished severely. Are you going to continue to fight me?"

"Get off!" He yelled, a dreadful fear forming inside him.

"You insolent child!" Vamdemon yelled, causing the boy to shrink back. "I gave you your chance; now you will pay!"

"What...are you going to do to me..." He asked, staring fearfully at the frightful figure before him.

He laughed coldy at the child, revealing his teeth to the already mortified boy. "I just traveled a great distance, and I am quite...hungry. You should make a suitable meal."

"What!" The boy tried to fight his way free but lost energy quickly.

"Don't fight me, child." He whispered menacingly, tilting the boy's chin upwards. "You should be flattered that yours will be the first human blood I consume."

Tears had formed in the boys eyes at the hopelessness of his situation. He couldn't continue his resistance as the monster's fangs pierced his neck. To his surprise, there was little pain. In it's place was a warm, numbing sensation that began at the place of penetration and spread throughout his entire body. His eyes grew heavy but he fought to keep them open. After a number of minutes he felt the faint withdrawal of teeth at his neck before he was released and allowed to collapse onto the floor. His eyes traveled upwards to his assailant.

The vampire stared down at him with a mix of contempt and astonishment. The boy was still awake; still alive. He smirked, dabbing a trace of blood off his chin. He would make sure that would change.

Behind him, glowing red orbs began to materialize, seemingly out of nowhere. At first there were only a few, but they soon numbered over one hundred. The boy knew he should be afraid, but he couldn't bring himself to feel the emotion. Even as the numbing effects of the vampire's bite faded away, and sharp nips and tugs at his flesh could be felt, he stayed quiet and accepted his fate as the slave he had been declared.

He knew he was covered in blood; he could smell it, and his body stung as tiny teeth gnawed at his exposed muscles. He knew he was being eaten alive, but he didn't fight anymore. His eyes grew heavy again, but this time he couldn't keep the heaviness at bay. The last thing he saw before passing was the piercing, ice blue eyes of his master, Lord Vamdemon.


	2. Fetch

It hadn't taken long before there was little left of the boy. The creatures Vamdemon had summoned ate the flesh, muscle, and organs, leaving behind only bone and hair. Since that time a number of hours had past. The dark lord had fallen asleep despite the remains he had created, and unknown to him, the chosen children too had returned to Earth.

The scent of blood was still thick in the air when Tailmon approached the building to alert her master that night had fallen and it was safe to venture out. She wrapped gently on the door, knowing he would hear the summons even if she merely scratched at it.

"My lord," She voiced, forcing a respectful tone. After a few seconds she heard a click in the door and braced herself in preparation for the onslaught of the smell of decay.

The door finally opened, revealing her dark master looking better than ever. She was surprised at his appearance and the lack of an additional smell.

"You look well, my lord. The rest did you good."

"Indeed." He said quietly. He paused as a soft breeze flowed past and dislodged a few strands of hair from his head and into his face. His brows furrowed as he pushed it back into place. Satisfied, he continued speaking.

"I hadn't taken into consideration that Earth might not have been as protected from the sun as my castle was, or that it would be daytime in the first. A mistake on my part, but one that won't be repeated."

He began walking forward. Tailmon kept up behind him. She noticed something clutched in his hand. She was unsure of how he would react if she said something about it, so she stayed silent.

"Did you find a place to make a base, Tailmon?" He inquired, glancing at her from the side.

"Yes, master. While you were resting us smaller creatures scoured the area to find a suitable hideaway. It's underneath an island, just off the coast. Your carriage should be able to reach it.

"Did you make sure it's away from the humans?"

"Yes my lord, but it was difficult. Those creatures are everywhere! That's why only some of us could go searching. SkullMeramon or one of your Devidramon would have caused an uproar, and you said you wanted things to stay quiet during the early stages. Do you think it will effect your ability to hunt, my lord?"

He chuckled darkly and tossed around the object he had been holding. "No..." He said slowly, coming to a halt and staring down at the feline. "There should be no problems. All I need do is stay hidden and get one alone. Should be quite easy after that."

"But how can you be so sure, master? I don't mean to be rude, but you've never-"

"They are incredibly weak and simple minded." He interrupted, holding in the air what he had been clutching so Tailmon could see. It was a bone. She shrunk back involuntarily as a slightly sick feeling washed over her. "There was one inside the building." He continued. "I overpowered him in less than a minutes time. I will admit they seem to have a will to live...even after I dropped him so that he would die he continued to fight. Doesn't make up for their weakness, though... As lone as I make sure they are dead when I am done with them there should be no problems."

"Of course...master. I'm sorry for doubting you." She said quietly, resolve no longer existent.

He smiled wickedly. "Once we find the eight child killing it should be exceedingly simple. As long as it doesn't find it's partner it won't stand a chance!

They started walking once more. Tailmon couldn't pull her eyes from the bone still clutched in her master's hand. Is that what he would do to the particular human they were after?

"...since you've already eaten...my lord...would you like to me to take you to your new home?"

"No..." He said slowly, displeased with the tone she had taken on. "I would like to scout the area myself. It would do me good to learn where there are places that are quiet now so I can feed easily tomorrow. I will meet you here before dawn. Take this." He tossed the bone at her. She struggled to catch it with her small paws.

"I want you to put it in my chamber. There it will stand as a trophy of my first kill in this world and the many more that are going to come"

"Y-yes, my lord." She whispered, watching him retreat and disappear into the darkness. Her eyes rested upon the object now in her hands. It had once belonged to a living creature who's life had been snuffed out by her master. She had seen him kill before, but he had never presented her with such a grisly reminder. Finally she set off towards where his servants had for their master, unsure of what else was to come.


	3. Price of Life

The fierce winds stung against his face as he ran through the crowded streets. He forced people out of the way, unrelenting in his speed despite the obstacles. Finally, he broke off the road into a narrow alley and pushed himself against the building. He struggled to keep quiet and control so that his pursuer wouldn't hear him. Glancing sideways, he saw only pedestrians he may have pushed out of the way earlier pass by.

He finally relaxed, allowing himself to breath more normally. He collapsed onto the ground and rubbed his face in an effort to steady his emotions.

He had been walking down the street, heading home from school, just like he always did. This night, however, was different. He had noticed halfway through the forested path that a fog had formed without him realizing. Within minutes of this discovery he couldn't see more than ten feet away. He knew the path, but that didn't keep him from growing uneasy, especially with so many disappearances of people on news as of late.

A voice, deep and rich and full of a detectable malice had called to him on the wind. He quickened his pace as his heart began beating wildly, unnerved by the ghastly sound. He had felt something brush against his arm, but didn't stop to find out what it was nor look back. He took off running as fast as he could down the path ahead of him. As he ran he heard heavy footsteps behind him. These footsteps didn't sound as if they were running as well though. They were steady and even, as if someone was walking behind him and still catching up.

Trees had ended abruptly and he was thrust onto a busy street, and having pushed his way through many people found the alleyway.

Glancing once more at the street, he noticed the fog had followed him, though it did move slowly. He shoved himself up and tried to escape the space between the buildings but was too late. The fog had passed by and created a barrier he couldn't pass through. He stepped backwards and moved even further into the dark than he had before and placed an arm against the wall to steady his shaking body.

He heard the dark voice again, even closer now than before. Fog and darkness mixed to create a thick veil through which he could see nothing but a large silhouette. It appeared at the darkest end of the alley and approached slowly. This time there were no footsteps, as if the figure was...floating. As it approached it grew larger and more distinguishable, and through the fog he could see a faint color of blue.

It still looked as if it were a distance away when an arm flew forward like a bolt of lighting and grabbed his neck. He was flung backwards against the wall the figure had approached from. He struggled to breath as a pair of bright, blue eyes appeared before him.

He shrunk back against the wall as if he could fall through it and away from his attacker. He felt a wetness on his cheeks; tears running down his face, shed involuntarily and creating a wicked smile on the face of his assailant, who was delighted with the fear at the fear plain on the boys face. It fell silently to the ground so that it's pale face was at the same level as his.

"Who are you..." He whispered, receiving no answer but the sharp glare of icy blue eyes. "What...what do you want from me?" He asked, more fearful than before.

"You have something I need." It said to him, reaching forwards and tilting his chin upwards and staring longingly at his neck He shuddered at the coldness of it's touch.

"Take it...whatever you want...take it..." He said quietly, throat tight from fear.

"Oh, I intend to." It told him, leaning against and pinning the boy's body against the wall. It's other arm snaked behind the arch of his back and pulled him upwards so that his neck was level with it's mouth.

"Please don't kill me." He begged hoarsely, fear flowing through his body and fresh tears rolling from his eyes down his cheeks. The creature's eyes flickered upwards, locked once more onto his. He looked away, unable to hold the gaze. It leaned forward, head moved to a position against his neck.

"I cannot allow you to leave her. My presence cannot yet be known." It said, dark voice slightly muffled against his skin. "If you wish to live it must be as a slave."

"Slave..." He whispered, unsure of what it might entail, and whether death might be a better fate.

"That is your choice. You serve me, or I kill you. Make it quickly, boy, I am hungry."

His eyes widened at the creatures words. 'Hungry?' He thought. 'It's going to eat me?' His heart beat quickened, causing the creature to let out a growl of desire. He slumped into the creatures embrace, letting out a fearful sigh.

"I don't want to die..." He muttered, surrendering himself, although unsure of how he could possibly live if he was to be food. He felt the creature smile against his neck before it's lips parted and sharp teeth bit unrelentlesly into his flesh. Only a few seconds after the initial flash of pain he could feel himself becoming drowsy. Though faintly, he could feel himself being lifted along with the predator as it slowly stood to it's original height, dragging the boy upwards against the wall with it. He was still clinging to consciousness when it pulled away, dropping him roughly to the ground, and though he was nearly unconscious, he felt the tremendous pain of his legs shattering as they hit the pavement.

"Oh dear." His assailant growled coldly. "Look at what you've gone and done, Boy."

He tried to speak but found his throat far too sore. Weakly he tilted his head upwards to meet the icy blue eyes that were now dancing with amusement.

"You won't be very useful to me with a damaged leg, now will you, dear boy. It looks as if I will have to let you die after all."

"No..." He rasped, emitting a pitiful sound which drew a cold and maniacal laugh from the predator before him.

"Or...perhaps...you can be of use after all..." The creature told him slowly, malice still dripping from his voice and a crazed smirk forming on his lips as the thought formed in his head. "No...you won't need legs for what I have in mind for you now."

He grabbed the boy roughly from the ground, causing him to yelp in pain and willed the fog to grow thicker. Merging carefully into the magical mist, he rode the winds to his lair with the boy in his arms, mind devising with cruel delight ways to torture the human during times when he would remain underground and allow his servants to search in his place.


	4. Rage

...chapter 04 - Rage

He leaned against the wall, blending into the shadows the building cast as he listened to the conversation of a three women a few feet away. They all wore heavy coats, which were drawn around their body to fight off the unnatural cold.

"How have the children been, Yuuko?" An older woman asked. "Was Taichi disappointed to be sent home from camp early?"

"A little, I would imagine, but he made a lot of friends in that short time. They've been seeing each other every day."

"Oh, well that's a good thing then." The second said. "It's a pity little Hikari couldn't make it. Do you think Taichi will let her hang out with his new friends?"

"Probably not." Yuuko said with a laugh. "They are mostly older kids. Only one of them is Hikari's age, and he's very clingy with his older brother, so I'm not sure if he would even open up to her. You should come over one day and meet them yourself! They are such well behaved children."

"Unlike mine." She chuckled. "Alright, maybe I will."

The elder woman glanced at her wrist. "Dear me, look at the time... I should have left for home a half an hour ago."

"Yeah, you always manage to cause us to go over our time, Yuuko." The other said with a laugh.

"I see how it is." Yuuko said with a false huff. "I just won't talk to you girls anymore."

They laughed and bid one another farewell. The elder walked towards the city, and Yuuko headed for a bus stop. The other woman headed around the building and onto a deserted pathway beside it. She had only taken a few steps when claws dug into her shoulder and a hand clasped tightly onto her mouth, wrenching her back and thrusting her body against the bricks of the wall.

For a few seconds she was quiet; shocked into silence, then she attempted, without success, to scream. Her voice was barely audible against the thick gloves of her assailant. She struggled against his grip but was powerless against his strong hold. Her body grew limp as the wrist of her right arm was bitten and a fluid forcefully injected inside.

* * *

She felt nauseous as she opened her eyes to a dank, smelly room. Her eyes strained to see through the darkness and past a set of thick iron bars that made up her prison. Across the room, in another cell, was a boy chained to the floor by a shackle on his ankle and wrist. He stared at her as she pulled herself to a sitting position on the floor. 

Her eyes traveled to her wrist, which pulsated with a dull ache and was slightly discolored at the spot of the bite. She looked back to the boy.

"Hello..?" She called. Her voice echoed slightly against the walls. She received no answer so she repeated the word.

"Don't." The boy said quietly. "He'll hear you."

"Who?" She lowered her voice.

"The one that brought your here..." He stated.

"I didn't get to see..."

"..Lord Vamdemon."

She paused at the name. She didn't know who it was, but the thought chilled her to the bone. In the distance a sound of clanking was heard.

"Is that him?"

"No." He admitted. "That's one of his servants." He paused and listened to the sound. "Phantomon."

"What's with the 'mon'?"

"That's just the way the names are. They are separate creatures from us humans...called digimon."

"Sounds childish..."

"That isn't a very good way to think about it." He said. "They are very dangerous creatures. Lord Vamdemon has an incredible amount of power as well as a hot temper and a desire to kill... I'm sorry to tell you, but if you are here he probably intends to end your life."

She stared at him, now growing slightly fearful. "And what of you? If what you say is true wouldn't that be your fate as well?"

"It might have been, but it is not... At least for now. Perhaps death might have been better a fate then my current use."

"Which is what?"

"I am a toy to him; a thing to be played with, and that is just what he does. Each night since he abducted me..."

A silence fell over the two as the sounds grew nearer. A creature with a red cloak and gray clothing appeared at the stairs, floating forwards towards their position. It nodded slightly to the boy, who acknowledged him as well, before turning to the woman. It extended one arm and tapped the bars with its staff, whose touch caused them to disappear.

"Step forward." It said with a hollow voice. She did so slowly, walking into the hallway. Phantomon drifted to her backside and laid the blade of the scythe against her head. "Follow my directions. Up the stairs."

"Where are you taking me?" She asked fearfully.

"To see Lord Vamdemon."

* * *

The door to the study was ajar as the two approached. Seated behind a plain desk was the vampire lord, who was immersed in a thick book held between his hands. As they entered he glanced upwards. 

The only light was emitted by a single candle, and though barely, it allowed Vamdemon's features to be visible to the woman's eyes. She let out a frightened gasp as she took in his appearance; an action which made his lips twist into a cruel smile.

"What do you want from me?" She asked despite her fears. Phantomon pressed the blade more firmly to her head.

"Information." Vamdemon stated, blue eyes fixated menacingly on the woman's. "You know where the child of courage resides."

"Who..?"

"The child of courage." He repeated. "Taichi Yagami. You know what I want to know. You know where he lives."

"I..." She whispered. "I know no such thing."

"Do you think I cannot see through lies?" He wondered, voice louder than before and dripping with anger. "You were talking to the boy's mother, and inquiring about him, so it only makes sense for you to know the location. You will tell me."

"No." She said defiantly.

"So be it." He spat and gestured to the ghost behind her. "Bring her to my chamber, and interrogate her. Do whatever is needed and report to me after."

"As you wish, Lord Vamdemon."

* * *

The door burst open. Phantomon glanced to the side at the form of his master. The woman shrunk back against the wall from her position on the floor. 

"There had better be a good reason that this is taking so long." Vamdemon said harshly.

"I apologize, my lord. She refuses to speak."

"Then you aren't prodding her hard enough." He stated. "I told you to do whatever was necessary."

"Would you like to interrogate her then, Master, or shall I continue."

"Go." He stated darkly. The ghost bowed and floated out of the room, shutting the door as he left.

Vamdemon glared down at the woman's form. She watched fearfully as he closed the distance between them and stood but three feet in front of her. "Stand." He said, but she didn't move. "Stand." He repeated the request whilst raising an arm. He put it forward and with a flash of red caused the woman to cry out. Across her stomach her clothing had ripped, burned away, and split from the heat of the attack. Where the clothing had been was a strip of raw and exposed flesh that stung and bled as the thick air fell over it.

"Stand." She did, left arm clutching painfully at her wound. "Where will I find the child of courage?" She didn't answer him. He reached forward and struck her across the face. Her head slammed against the wall and her body fell back to the ground. She tried desperately not to cry when he instructed her to get up once more and listened with increased awareness as he repeated the question. Still she didn't respond, and was rewarded with being grabbed at the shoulders and flung to the floor at the other end of the room.

He turned in place but did not approach. He rose his right arm once more and created a gash across the left arm she had been using to nurse her previous injury. "Listen to me, and listen well, human. This can be very easy...or this can be very hard. The choice is up to you. Answer my question and you will be spared a great deal of pain."

"No." She whispered through clenched teeth. Vamdemon growled loudly and threw forward the crimson whips, wrapping them around her legs then jerking them to the side so that she flew through the air and against another wall. She sat up with a great deal of pain and stared at her melted flesh in horror. A small puddle of blood grew beneath her newly injured limbs.

"You are testing my patience, human. I have displayed mercy thus far, but I will not continue to do so. Tell me! Where do I find the child of courage!?"

* * *

Yet another crash reverberated through the stone walls. The boy flinched again as the woman screamed once more and drew himself into a tighter ball on the cold ground. He played with the chain that bound him absently as her sobs traveled through his ears. 

There was a pattern that he noticed after long amount of time he had been listening. Whenever there was silence for a long amount of time he would yell at her and do something to hurt her, which resulted in her screaming as well as the breaking of something, though he wasn't sure what. His leg ached just thinking about the aspect.

There was a lengthy pause in the activity above; longer than any that had occurred thus far, and once again he heard the clanking of a chain at the top of the stairs, signifying Phantomon's return.

As the specter approached and made the bars to his cell vanish he wondered what his master could possibly want from him while he was already occupied. He stood and allowed the scythe to reach down to the shackles at his leg so he could leave the hole in the wall. He didn't need prodding, unlike the woman did earlier. He knew his place and knew the location where he needed to go.

Phantomon floated idly as he hobbled up the stairs. Vamdemon was extremely cruel, and though Phantomon obeyed his lord's command, he wasn't nearly as interested in causing pain and suffering. He seemed to understand the boy's plight better than any of the vampire's other servants, and treated him with respect so long as he did what he was told.

Once at the top of the stairs, he traveled the now familiar corridor that led to his master's chamber. It consisted of two rooms, neither of which were as large as he thought they would be and not as decorated as it could be. In the first, which he tentatively entered, was merely a desk, a shelf full of books in foreign languages, a simple chair and a candle with which to see.

Phantomon tapped the boy's shoulder and shook his head. The boy gave him a confused look. "Not here?" He was answered with the scythe being pointed to a room just down the hall. "Oh..." He said in a whisper.

He was about to open the door when it opened for him. The woman's body toppled to the ground in a bloody mess. Her clothes were virtually non existent, having been melted away or torn by attacks. From her neck, as well as other places, were the trademark bleeding pin pricks indicating she had become a meal, or perhaps, poisoned, as part of her punishment. Vamdemon glared downwards at her shaking form, hatred and rage dancing dangerously in his eyes.

"How did it go, my lord?"

"Well enough. I got the information I needed. I am, however, rather upset it took so long. It seems I have slightly underestimated the will of these creatures in withholding information that will damn one of their own." He paused, and locked eyes with the boy Phantomon had brought to him.

"You wanted me, Lord Vamdemon?" He asked quietly.

The creature smiled wickedly at him. "I did. You are going to do something for me."

"...shall I wait in your chambers?" He asked.

"Not quite yet, slave, but since you are so eager you shall join me there soon." Vamdemon laughed. "You are going to do something for me right here."

The boy hesitated. "May I ask what it is that you desire, Master?"

"Kill her..."

"...I'm sorry?" The boy whispered, unbelieving what he had heard.

"Kill her." The vampire repeated, growing slightly annoyed.

"But...but I-" He stammered.

"Kill her! You will do it, slave, or I will, and then you can join her when I am done. That is your choice." He said with venom and turned his glare upon the boy, who remained silent for a moment.

He took a deep breath. "Yes...my lord... How do you want me to do it?"

"Suffocate her." Vamdemon said calmly. He had planned what he wanted done before he ever started questioning the doomed woman. The boy watched as the woman erupted into tears and began to wail and plead with him. He limped forward and reached to pull her up so that he could do the deed. She had barely any strength left to fight as he covered her mouth and nose with his hand and held it while she tried desperately to intake air.

"No." Vamdemon said as he started to pull away his hand. "Leave it."

"But she's stopped breathing, master..."

"I said leave it!" He growled. The boy did so, holding his position for another ten minutes as the vampire watched. He turned in place and headed towards his chamber, pausing at the doorway. "Follow me, slave. Release her and leave the body where it falls."

The boy jerked back his hand and watched ruefully as the woman's body crumpled to the ground. With but one glance backwards, he followed Vamdemon through the study and into the room with the coffin.

* * *

He sat cross legged in front of a low table with two plates and no utensils set upon it. Each night, an hour or so after Vamdemon had his fun, he was forced to sit in a small room and dine with him. The creature took great pleasure in watching the boy pick at the food presented to him whilst being scrutinized by the dark overlord. 

He was always the first to be seated. Phantomon would lead him inside ten minutes before Vamdemon entered with whatever meal had been prepared. There was a slight delay, he noted, but it wasn't long lived and Vamdemon entered but a few minutes past the usual time. He unclasped his cloak and laid it by his side as he too sat cross legged in front of the table.

Phantomon floated with a larger dish in his grasp and transferred hunks of meat onto the plates that were a shade of red the boy had never seen before. He poked at it with hesitance. The food he was presented was always cooked. It had to be or else he would get sick, and a sick slave would be no good for Vamdemon's desires, but he couldn't help but feel unsettled as he gazed at the meal he was given.

A glance upwards at the cruel smirk on the face of his master confirmed his suspicions. A sense of revulsion traveled through his being as he watched the vampire pick up and bite into his own strip, which was mostly likely raw. Every other cut of meat he had seen the creature consume was, so why would the flesh of a human be any different?

He ate, trying not to focus on the taste or where it had come from. Not to would surely bring on punishment, perhaps as severe as what was used on the victim that night. He emptied the dish and glanced up once more at his master, who's devilish smirk seemed to have grown even greater, and his ice blue eyes shimmered with delight as Phantomon returned and placed another helping onto the boy's plate.


	5. Gender Discrimination

Chapter FIVE – Gender Discrimination

In the corner of a dimly lit stone room stood a small television . From upon its hastily crafted stool it spat the speech of a late night news reporter dressed in a bright red suit.

"The remains of a young woman that has been missing for two days have been discovered near the edge of the forest. Her body was found just off the road with numerous gashes and wounds on her arms and legs and completely drained off blood. Upon further examination, it was found that large sections of flesh were cleaved from her body. Autopsy reports indicate the young woman died initially of asphyxiation, and that the mutilation of the body occurred after death.

In light of this gruesome attack, police are urging young women and children to remain indoors during night hours unless absolutely necessary. If travel is absolutely necessary, it should be done so in a group, preferably with older men-"

Stretched out in his coffin, Vamdemon laughed at the reporters words. Idly, he glanced to his side, where his boy prisoner was seated, painfully cross legged beside the coffin. Upon his wrist was clasped a steel band, which a long, heavy chain hung from. The other end was held loosely in Vamdemon's left hand.

"Your species is incredible." The vampire said, turning back to the small TV. "It has been five nights since I arrived here. I have killed many, and yet this is the first effort they have put out to alert others of their kind. Even more incredible is that the first report I see is of my very first female victim. No mention of the boy I devoured upon my arrival or even of your disappearance. How pathetic the way your species seems to operate."

The boy watched the small screen dismally, realizing that his captors cruel words rang true. The world, and especially the media, was focused on the well being of women and children. Men and boys were expected to be able to hold their own against a threat. Perhaps the news reporters and the government were in denial of what was really going one. Vamdemon had indeed killed many, at least ten, which equated to at least two a night. There was no way the deaths and dissapearances could not know about They probably didn't want to worry the general public, which meant...

"I suppose they won't be sending a search party for you any time soon, will they boy?" Vamdemon said smugly.

"No, I suppose they won't my lord."

"Does that disappoint you?" Vamdemon asked, and peered to the side once more. His eyes narrowed when the boy didn't answer. "Answer me, slave. Wouldn't you like it if you were rescued?"

"No human can contest your strength, my Lord."

"How amusing that you continue to evade my questioning." He said slyly. "No matter, I'll be sure that you will suffer for that later."

"I'm sorry, my Lord." The boy said, panicked. "It disappoints me, my Lord... I'd love to be rescued, but it will not happen. As you have said, they only seem to be worried about the girls, and this place is amazingly well hidden. They would never be able to trace me here."

Vamdemon smirked. "Yes, humans are pathetic. Worthless and pathetic. Except for you, you are a fun experiment. Taming you has kept me quite entertained."

A sound at the stairway interrupted their conversation. Legions of Vamdemon's servants began pouring in, with Tailmon and Picodevimon leading the way. They each bowed respectively.

"Lord Vamdemon," Tailmon said quietly.

"You can't find the child?" He asked with disappointment, staring the little cat down.''

"Yes, sir." She admitted, and crouched her body low to the ground in submissiveness. "At the very least, he doesn't appear to be withing the vicinity of Hikarigaoka."

"Picodevimon." Vamdemon called. The bat flew into the air and approached the vampires side. From a box beside his coffin, he retrieved a number of yellow cases with pink objects inside. He placed them around Picodevimon's feet to be displayed.

"What are those?" Tailmon asked, glancing upwards.

"Copies of the eighth child's tag and crest. The one you have is also a copy."

"Then where's the real one?" She asked with surprise.

"Here in my grasp." Vamdemon said quietly, choosing to ignore the lack of respect in her tone and rose the item upwards so that she could see. "Worry not. Even though those are copies, it will still react when the chosen child" He stood and threw back his cape in a display of power and addressed the rest of the room. "Now is the time for us to move. The humans are aware of a lurking evil. Let us allow them a glimpse of the danger they face, and do everything you can to find the eighth child!"

"Yes, sir!" Tailmon and Picodevimon said in unison.

"Those filthy children..." Vamdemon muttered, "I will do everything in my power to eliminate them." He paused in his musing, glancing at the boy by his side, and called out once more. "Tailmon." His voice echoed throughout the room, drawing the attention of the small white cat. She put on a calm front and crossed back into the chamber before her laid back master.

"Can I assist you further, Lord Vamdemon?" She asked, bowing low once more and glancing up to his eyes.

"Show the boy to his room before you begin scouting."

"Of course, my lord!" She stood quickly and turned in place. "Follow me."

"W-wait..." The boy stuttered. "Room?"

"A spoiled child would be wise not to question his generous master." Vamdemon said simply, and turned his attention back to the television and relinquishing his hold on the thick chains. "You are dismissed."

"Tailmon?" The human wondered, limping quickly to keep up with agile pace. "Why am I being brought to a room and not my cell..?"

"Lord Vamdemon advised that you should not question his decision." She stated and quickened her pace.

"But-"

"You have been an obedient servant, human. Lord Vamdemon rewards those who do their job well."

"But-"

"What do you not understand about asking questions?" She growled. In a flash her paw ran across his arm, leaving three deep gashes running downwards. His right arm grasped at his left in an attempt to stifle the bleeding.

"I'm sorry, Master Tailmon..."

"That's right..." She breathed, glancing at her soiled claws. Without another word she began walking again. The boy followed her quietly and quickly, ignoring the pain in his leg as they climbed the spiral stairway of a tower.

Despite his unhappiness of being inside the building, the boy couldn't help but be amazed at the architecture beneath the ground. The Bakemon servants had been able to construct the miniature castle under the Earth without any indications in the land above. He attributed it to their ability to pass through solid matter.

Finally they reached the top of the stairway, where a lone door stood before them. The difference of the brick work was clear from what was a level below. This stone was new – freshly constructed.

"Open the door."

The boy drew in a breath and turned the knob. The room revealed was small and circular. Along one edge was a bed suspended against the wall by chains. Along the wall on either side were candle holders, each with a fresh stick inside. On the top of the bed were two pillows and a blanket that was made of the fur of a Garurumon. It's blue color stood out against the dark stone in the room. Beside the bed was a desk, also suspended by chains and before it a chair for sitting. On the wooden desktop were sheets of paper and an inkwell as well as a candelabra and a lantern that was lit. Beside the desk was a bin, presumably for garbage, and beside that was a bucket and lid for waste.

"I don't mean to be ungrateful, or rude, or ask more pestering questions, master Tailmon, but why am I receiving this luxury? I thought that Lord Vamdemon hated humans."

"Don't be foolish child. The only ones Lord Vamdemon hates are the chosen children. The rest of your species are the akin to the cattle of a farm – ready to be harvested when there is need to feed and ready to be trained when required for a task. Originally the former, your purpose has been shifted for the latter. You are being molded by our master to perform a glorious task."

"But what could I possibly do for him-"

"Quiet. That is enough from you. Do not dwell on it, as it obviously to much for your insignificant human brain to comprehend. Just continue to do as your are told and your rank will continue to grow. Maybe then your purpose will become clear."

"Yes, master Tailmon..."

She huffed and turned around. "The rules haven't changed. You aren't to leave this place until you are called upon by Lord Vamdemon, Phantomon, or myself. You will summoned for dinner at the usual time."

With those final words she stalked away, flicking the door shut with her tail. The boy sighed, and glanced around the small room again. It was smaller than his cell in the prisons, but it was cleaner, and not wet, and for that he was grateful. He sat upon the wooden chair in front of the desk and picked up the pen.

He brought it to the paper and drew his family.

His mother and father, his two sisters, and his cats...

Then he drew what they would look like dead by his master's hands.

Murdered, bloody, sprawled out mutilated on the floor, never having stood a chance.

An unavoidable future.


	6. Lag

...chapter SIX – Lag

Tailmon growled as she completed the track in a large room for the fifth time, flying past the human her lord kept as a pet yet again. He was frustrating her, always in the way when she was approaching a tight corner or tall obstacle. Finally done, she trotted to the side line, panting, and watched the boy attempt to complete his first and only required lap.

Somehow he was managing to keep up a steady pace. His first step with his strong leg was long and over extended, while his injured leg was put forward only slightly and to the side. It was pathetic to watch, but she had to admit it sort of inspired her. She could only imagine how hard it was to do what he was with a contorted limb.

"What's wrong, Tailmon?" Phantomon asked from his station in the corner of the room, eyes following her swishing tail curiously. "You seem perturbed."

"You can tell?" She asked sarcastically, flopping onto her side and looking up at him. "It's that kid, he's always getting in the way. He's so slow!"

"You can't blame him."A voice said from behind her. Wizarmon, one of the closest of Vamdemon's servants to her, sat in a chair, resting from his own laps with folded arms.

"I know." She said, "But I can't exactly blame Lord Vamdemon either..."

"Sure you can." The wizard digimon said simply, laughing slightly, "He's the one that broke the child's leg, so he is directly to blame."

"Right," Tailmon said uneasily, "But if I were to say that to him I would be punished."

"That is a result of your own doing." Phantomon said, floating forwards, "If you had been as obedient as this human from the time you were brought in Master might not grow so cross with you when you question him."

"Whatever." She breathed and focused her attention once more on the human. He was approaching one of the final parts of the course; a high beam the runner was required to jump over. It was new to the course, and he had never had to deal with it before, but she was sure it would lead to disaster.

And it did. Frankly she was surprised he had even attempted it, though, she supposed, fear of their master might have been a very real reinforcement. He leaped into the air, passed over the beam, and landed on his good leg, but it buckled under his wait and he toppled to the ground, letting out a cry as the injured leg twisted around and he landed on top of it.

Sighing, Tailmon pushed herself off the ground, onto her feet, and walked over to the boy's position. Phantomon had already floated ahead, approaching the child's side.

"This is ridiculous." She muttered, crouching down on the floor and taking a good look at the boy's face, which was contorted in pain.

"I try..." He muttered, groaning, teeth clenched together, tears falling from the corner of his eyes, and staring back at her with uncertainty.

"I know you do, but that's the very problem..." She said, watching Phantomon extend his weapon so the boy could grasp hold of it and pull himself up. "You're trying so hard that you're holding all of us back. This has to stop."

"No!" He said quickly, interpreting her words differently than she intended. "No, please, I'll do it differently! I'll go around it next time, and I'll run on the edge of the track, and-"

"Would you shut up." She said with frustration, not understanding his panic. "Look, why don't you go to your room, okay? Don't worry about the rest of your training or your chores. I need to talk to Lord Vamdemon about this."

The boy's face paled. He swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat, but nodded somberly and limped away, not daring to question her.

"You seem to have frightened him." Phantomon commented.

"That's his problem, not mine." Tailmon said and headed for the door. "He always gets himself worked up like that."

Phantomon followed, floating at her side, watching her with a sideways glance. "With due reason. And you are not so different than he. A fear of the master is healthy."

Her ears twitched in annoyance at the ghost's words. She was NOT like that weak human. No way. She promptly changed the subject, not wanting to argue with the ghost about it."What are you doing anyway? You're going to accompany me?"

"The good word of two is better than one."Phantomon said simply, "And I must admit, the child has grown on me in the time he has been here. He is incredibly obedient. I respect that."

"Yeah, well, Lord Vamdemon's abuse does that to people." Tailmon said bitterly as they moved down the hallway. They walked in silence afterwards the rest of the way to their master's chamber. Approaching the room, she wrapped on the door lightly.

"Enter." Vamdemon's voice commanded from behind the heavy gateway. She pushed it forward after a short struggle and crossed over the threshold with Phantomon.

Vamdemon glanced up from a book and a sheet of paper he had been writing on. He was surprised to see Tailmon, let alone Phantomon, although her visits were more frequent than the ghosts'.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Vamdemon inquired, setting down his pen and focusing his attention on his two servants.

"It's about your human slave." Tailmon said, sitting on the ground before his desk and bowing quickly.

"Oh?" Vamdemon wondered with interest, leaning forwards and resting his head in a hand. "Is he causing trouble?"

"Yes and no." Tailmon told him. "He's doing everything you tell him, no questions asked, with as much effort as he can muster, but that's the very problem. His leg gets in the way of everything! He tries to run but he just makes another obstacle on the track. It takes him forever to get around, and if he falls there's no way he could possibly get up himself, Phantomon or Wizarmon always have to help him stand from where he falls or he'll sit there for hours, unable to push himself up in the middle of the floor."

Vamdemon's eyes reflected an emotion Tailmon couldn't place, perhaps a mix of curiosity and cynicism. "What would you like me to do about it, Tailmon? Go ahead, speak up. I want to hear your opinion."

Tailmon drew in a reluctant breath and spoke. "You brought him here, my Lord. Please, either fix him or get rid of him"

Vamdemon rose an eyebrow and grinned. "Are you suggesting that I kill him?"

She drew in a breath, glancing away. "Help him...or kill him... As long as he isn't in the way anymore."

"I see." Vamdemon said, pausing to contemplate what she had told him and the way she had worded it, then turned to Phantomon. "What is your opinion."

"I'd rather not see the child dead." Phantomon said without worry as to how Vamdemon might react or what he might think. "He is a diligent worker and values his life. His resiliency is amazing. I think you should lighten his work load, take him off running, and try to help him heal and get stronger. He is determined now, Master. Just imagine what he might be like strong, healthy, and loyal."

"That will be all." Vamdemon said, raising his hand. "You two are dismissed. Phantomon, summon him for me."

"Yes, master." Phantomon said, and floated out of the room. Tailmon bowed and followed suit, watching the specter disappear down the hallway before hurrying down the stairwell.

Vamdemon was intrigued by what his servants had told him. He knew the boy wanted to live, and was doing as he was told, but he was unaware of how diligently he was working. Giving the human his own quarters seemed to have paid off. Now he had been asked to keep the boy out of the way. Killing him would be simple and easy, perhaps entertaining, but did he really want to lose his human servant, whom he could enjoy and use night after night?

The door creaked as the boy pushed it open slightly, intruding his head inside. "You called for me, Master? Is it time already?"

"No, boy, I require for you a different reason. Come in and sit down." Vamdemon instructed, waving towards a chair on the other side of the desk. He closed his book as the boy approached hesitantly and fell without a word into the seat. He turned his full attention onto Vamdemon, staring into his eyes with fear and respect.

"I just concluded a meeting with Tailmon and Phantomon." Vamdemon said slowly, eyes glued on his slave's face. It remained the same as before. The human was learning to restrain his emotions, a fact that put a smirk on Vamdemon's face."They had some very interesting things to say. I will share these things with you. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, master." The boy acknowledged, fear beginning to appear in his voice.

"You have been a very disobedient little boy." Vamdemon teased, watching the eyes of his slave widen. "Slacking off with your chores, refusing to run, attempting even to sabotage my plans. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"It's not true!" The boy said quickly, praying his master would believe his words. "I try my best, I really do! I get in the way, but it's not my fault, my leg holds me back!"

"Then you are saying you failure to complete your duties is my fault?" Vamdemon demanded, allowing doctored anger to show on his face.

"No!" The boy said loudly and quickly, then faltered, "...yes...no... I don't know..."

"Furthermore, you are calling my most treasured followers liars. That is not something I would be inclined to take lightly."

"I'm not saying they are lying." He defended, waving his hands, "Maybe they just don't see things on the same level as I do..."

"I see." Vamdemon said lowly, amused, as color continued to drain away from the boy's face. "That will be all. Get out and return to your room." Vamdemon said, and pushed his chair back to stand.

"W-what?" The boy asked, the order throwing him off.

"I said go to your room, boy. Do not make me repeat myself again."

"Y-yes, master!" The boy stammered and stood quickly, limping out of the study as fast as he could.

Vamdemon watched his slave disappear around the doors before turning around and walking to his shelf of books. They were human tomes, printed in various languages, primarily Japanese, that his servants and himself had stolen. Over the past few nights he had been translating passages of some of the more promising ones into digital text so that he could make use of them in his search for the eight chosen child.

He reached forwards and pulled a thick book from the shelf. It was crisp and dusty, and the print was small; a directory of information. He placed it on his table, sliding the smaller book out of the way, and opened the cover. If he was to fix the humans injury he would need to find a doctor to do it. As a digimon, and furthermore, a vampire, his own wounds were self healing. Even his servants had some sort of regenerative ability as digimon, though it worked much slower than his, so he had never had to make use of an outside source to fix wounds..

His slave's leg had been broken. Twice now, by the way Tailmon had spoken. He would need to find someone good. He recognized the benefits of helping the human at this point, but he wasn't looking forward to the flurry of research that was now placed before him. Not only did the task push away any pleasure he might have had that night, but in order for the plan he was hatching to work, he would have to starve himself of the blood he craved. With a sigh, he picked up his pen once more, fighting a growling stomach, and began to flip through the book, searching for simple symbols to begin his translation.


	7. Doctor, Doctor

...chapter SEVEN – Doctor, Doctor

Vamdemon walked through the streets of the bustling city slowly, eyes fixated on the path before him and away from the sky. Humans hurried past, not caring if they bumped into him mindlessly as they rushed to their destination. It angered him greatly, but he forced himself to keep quiet and to remain calm. He couldn't slaughter so many of the pathetic creatures in public. Not yet. Smiling at the thought, he pulled the hood over his head tighter, blocking out the rays of the setting sun more securely, and continued on his way.

Still walking, he pulled from a pocket in the human disguise he wore a sheet of paper. Glancing down at it, he read the instructions that he had etched upon it in digital language the night before. Off the the side, along the margin, was a map of the area he had sketched out as well. The location was further away from his island base that he was used to roaming, and didn't know his way around as well as he would have liked. Turning a corner, he cursed the fact that he could not fly to his destination. It would have made finding the prominent hospitals much easier.

He paused in his relentless stride as the building finally came into view. It was expansive, inviting, and painted a bright white. The color disgusted him.

Pushing through the swinging doors, Vamdemon spilled into the lobby. He stood there in a daze at the sudden change in lighting. It was almost as painful as the sun. Fighting off a growl of pain, he shuffled forwards to lean against the counter towards a nurse who was seated before a computer.

She looked up to greet him and let out an inaudible gasp. His torso was covered in a large, baggy, black sweatshirt. All that could be seen was his face and tufts of blond hair. His skin was pale, more than it would usually be, and his lips were discolored. His hands were covered with thin, white cotton gloves that appeared red beneath.

"Just sign in, Sir." She said, erasing the expression of surprise quickly. It was rude to gape at a patient.

He narrowed his eyes, but turned his attention to the pad below him. He picked up the pen and wrote slowly and with obvious imprecision the name he had made his appointment with – Vincent Ree. He looked back up, eyes locked on the woman on the other side of the plastic divider.

"Is there a problem, Sir?" She asked, "Take a seat, and the doctor will be with you when he is done with the other patients.

Holding back his anger at having to wait, he drew a breath and turned around to find a seat. He passed a number of people who had lined up behind him to sign in as he struggled to write his alias in Japanese characters. Leering at them, he sat down and crossed his legs, waiting to be called.

There was a television in the center of the room playing the news of the day. The main topic of the night was still the disappearances he was causing, and the lack of deaths in the past few days. He smirked, knowing the only reason for the relent in deaths was his deliberate fasting in order to keep himself pale and portray the sickness he was aiming for.

"How sad," One of the patients said to another, "All these murders lately. What has this world come to?"

"Mm..." The other agreed, "The police said in the beginning the attacks would keep happening, and yet people keep going out. Makes you wonder how smart they might be. I mean, it's sad and all, but..."

"I understand," The first said, "And I agree. If the threat is outdoors people should avoid it. I know I do. But I guess I'll feel worse if this killer starts invading homes. That would be pretty bad."

"Oh yeah." The other said, "Do you think it will happen though? Can the police stop the killer first?"

"I doubt mere law enforcement can put a stop to him." Vamdemon said, smirking.

The two looked at him, surprised. "That's an awfully negative view to have."

"It is the truth." Vamdemon stated, shutting his eyes momentarily out of smugness. "You see what has been done to these people? That is nothing. Nothing. Just wait. Give him a few days. You will see a taste of the power he is capable of."

"...do you know this killer?"

"...I do not." Vamdemon said carefully. "It is merely a prediction."

They glanced at each other, exchanging similar looks of worry, then looked away from Vamdemon, content to ignore his dark words and focus on happier talk. Smirking still Vamdemon leaned back in his seat, blending into his costume even more, and waited, content now that dark thoughts were in his mind.

Two hours passed as if they were nothing. Vamdemon was silent, accustomed to waiting in secrecy for the things he required when necessary. The woman from behind the counter approached him and tapped him gently on his shoulder. She had assumed he had fallen asleep when he did not answer when his name was called. He muttered words of false thanks and stood, following her through the door and into a small, light green room with a long horizontal seat and counters.

There he sat and waited once more as the woman disappeared and another took her place. This one was dressed in a long white uniform and held a hard notepad in one hand, a pen in the other. She smiled at him warmly and proceeded with her questions.

"How are you feeling this evening, Mr. Ree?"

Vamdemon glanced at her, still unfamiliar with being addressed with the name. "What sort of question is that? This is a hospital, isn't it? I'm here to see a doctor, aren't I? Is it not obvious that I am not well?"

Her smile faltered momentarily, but it didn't remain lost for long. She forced it back, and larger than than before. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ree. Of course. Would you tell me what's wrong? Why are you here tonight?"

Reaching into a pocket in his sweatshirt, Vamdemon withdrew the sheet of paper with the directions and flipped it over, skimming over what he had written on the other side. "Blistering of my skin, vomiting, constipation, pain in my back and chest," He listed off, and glanced up at her as he said the finally symptom, "and sudden numbness and paralysis."

The woman nodded in understanding, although she appeared confused. "I'll leave this for the doctor, Mr. Ree, he'll be in shortly."

Vamdemon grunted and pushed the sheet of paper onto the metal beside him. He pulled off his left glove and observed the skin beneath it. It was red and blistered, and rough to the touch. The pain it caused rippled through his body; a result of his self starvation. For three days he had denied himself the blood he needed to survive. The result was less strength, less coloration of the skin, and an incredibly weakened immune system. His body wasn't strong in its current state, and couldn't heal his wounds properly, especially not ones created by the ultra violet radiation that the sun emitted. Forcefully he had exposed his hands to the light in the state of weakness and allowed the cooking to occur so as to further corroborate his claims of illness.

"Ouch," Said a friendly voice from the doorway. Vamdemon's eyes flickered to the owner, who was a tall man with blue hair. "Those are the blisters my assistant wrote about, I assume? I'd normally shake your hand, but that looks like it might hurt."

"Yes..." Vamdemon said carefully, staring the doctor with concentration.

"All right then, tell me, before we begin, do you have a history of any disease?"

Vamdemon retrieved his paper and stared at it, "Porphyria."

"And suddenly the symptoms make sense." The doctor said and smiled gently. "You must have a very serious case for your skin to blister so badly. This is a recent symptom, it seems? Things have gotten worse in the past few days?"

"Yes..."

"Can you tell me what medication you are on?"

Vamdemon faltered momentarily. He hadn't researched medication... Shaking his head, he spoke, "I do not know."

The doctor rose an eyebrow but moved on. "How is your diet? You seem very thin; that can cause a surge of symptoms."

"I eat enough."

"...but that isn't what I'm asking." The doctor said, slightly more forceful with his voice. His gentle exterior melted away as the concern for his 'patient' settled in. "Are you taking in enough carbohydrates? They should make up at least half of your diet. What about protein, or iron? Or do you have too much iron? Do you have blood drawn as treatment?"

Vamdemon smirked, "No, I don't."

The doctor frowned at the patients reactions. "I can't help you unless you answer my questions seriously, Mr. Ree."

"I am answering them seriously." Vamdemon said, growing annoyed. "I'm sorry I am unable to give you a sufficient response."

The doctor let out a breath and continued. "These symptoms developing so quickly means a sudden attack. You will need to be treated. If you will, follow me. I'm going to set up an intravenous line of Panhematin for you. After that we can set up a diet plan for you. Is that all right?"

Vamdemon grunted an acknowledgment. The doctor turned and opened the door, holding it ajar for Vamdemon to follow. They crossed through the hall and entered another room, smaller than the last.

The doctor propped the door open, but Vamdemon shifted forwards and placed his hand over the doctors, removing it from the door and allowing it to close.

"...Mr. Ree?"

"On second thought," Vamdemon said slowly, drawing nearer to the man, "this won't be necessary."

The doctor's brows furrowed as he thought about Vamdemon's words. "You need something to treat your illness or you'll-"

"I'm not ill." Vamdemon said quickly and pressed the doctor against the door.

"...what?! But your hands-"

"Are indeed a result of exposure to the sun, but is not caused by any disease known to man. Worry about it no longer, for it is not the reason I require your services."

"I-"

"Remain silent." Vamdemon growled, putting more pressure on the doctor's body. "Do not speak unless I speak to you. Answer no one else, is that understood?"

"Y-yes!"

"Good." Vamdemon said, releasing the doctor momentarily. "Put your arms behind your back."

The doctor let out a fearful breath and did as he was asked. Vamdemon grabbed his wrists roughly and pulled him back to open the door. He pushed him down the hallway and turned back towards the entrance of the building. The patients in the waiting room paid them no heed, why would they? The doctor could simply be on break. Not even the nurse behind the entrance counter looked up.

Now the doctor was lead down the streets, their pace brisk. "I will tell you what I need of you, human. You will be correcting a very damaged leg of one of my slaves. You have the skill?"

"Y-yes," The doctor stammered, surprised at being addressed as 'human'. "But do you have the supplies?"

Vamdemon slowed his pace and swiveled the man around to look him in the eyes, angered he had let that aspect of his operation slip his mind. "Supplies? What do you need?"

"What's wrong with the leg?"

"It's broken."

"I'll need x-rays-"

"Not an option." Vamdemon said quickly. He didn't know very much about human technology, but he was educated enough to know it required a large machine he would not own.

"Er... At the very least I'll need a cast of some sort... Do you have that?"

"No."

"Let me get one then." The doctor said quickly, "I have supplies at my home. Let me go there and get things to treat your...slave..."

"Alright." Vamdemon agreed wearily, "Lead the way."

The doctor did, turning down another road and walking quickly. "My family will be home... I ask you...beg you...please do not involve them with this."

"I will not kill them. I give you my word." Vamdemon promised and continued walking with the doctor's arms in his clutch. Another night he might not have done so. He enjoyed inflicting harm and pain, and especially death, but weak as he was the sport might cause him more harm than pleasure. Eventually coming to an apartment building, they entered the elevator and exited it again on the correct floor without words and stepped in front of a door. The doctor opened it and stepped inside briskly, heading to a room in the back and leaving Vamdemon at the entrance.

Standing there at the mouth, Vamdemon stared at a sign hanging beside the door for a few moments. The name listed seemed familiar to him, although the name was in a language he didn't know well. It was written in English. Kido.

A tired voice from the building drew his attention. "Dad? What are you doing home already?"

"Err... I forgot something. Don't worry about it, I'm leaving again soon."

"Oh, okay..." The boy said and yawned. "I hate it when you work late shifts like this. I miss you here at home.

"I miss you too, Jyou, but it's my job."

Oh! Vamdemon smiled wickedly as he realized why the name had seemed familiar. Kido, Jyou. The child of sincerity! He stepped inside the home to get a better view. Indeed, it was the boy, who was dressed lightly in night time clothing and perched on a couch. His blue hair was messy and wet, as if he had just come out from a shower.

"Your brothers aren't home?" The doctor asked.

"No, they are at an event at the school."

"I see. I'll just be a moment." The doctor said, and disappeared into his room once more.

Vamdemon stepped forwards even more, entering the room half way and stared at the boy, who hadn't registered the new entity until then.

"Who are you? A friend of dads?" Jyou asked pleasantly, smiling gently.

Vamdemon's smile grew wider, more menacing, revealing fangs beneath his purple lips. "Not even close, dear child."

Jyou's smile faltered immediately. Vamdemon was not clothed normally, but there was no other creature on Earth that had such sharp canines. And that voice... Darkness and hatred flowed from the monsters mouth, and the color drained from his face as he realized who was standing in his home.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Vamdemon... S-stay away!" He cried, shrinking back into the couch. He reached in a pocket for his digivice, pressing a button to call Gomamon into the room.

"Do you truly think that will make a difference?" Vamdemon mocked, laughing. "Humor me, then. Have it evolve. Destroying your home and the inhabitants around you in an impossible fight would make perfect my night."

"What do you want?" Jyou asked fearfully, realizing the extreme danger of the situation.

"What a delightful question." Vamdemon said, stalking forwards. "What shall I do with you? I can toy with you as I do my slave, stripping you of clothing and ripping you open like the pathetic weak human you are, or, I can pull you limb from limb like a rag doll, and watch your bones slip out of your muscles as the sinews snap. I can drag you from this room and throw you over the railing out the door, hurling you to your doom to splatter against the pavement, bones, flesh and blood spread for all below to see, or I can melt your flesh with my magic and relish in the fountain of blood that spews forth. So many delectable choices..."

Jyou was trembling, and covered his ears as best he could with the digivice in his hand in an attempt to block the grim words coming from his enemies mouth. Gomamon rushed into the room, stopping dead in his tracks as he saw Vamdemon approaching his partner. He ran forwards and tried to launch an attack, but the advancing digimon merely laughed and waved it away. He produced a small ball of flames that he forced towards the small digimon, knocking him back and against the wall even with it's weakened power level.

Vamdemon stopped in front of Jyou and reached forwards as Gomamon struggled to lift himself up from the ground where he had fallen. In a panicked attempt to defend himself, Jyou held up the digivice and aimed it's powerful holy light towards Vamdemon. The brightness penetrated his vision, making everything appear white as the incredible power battered his body. With a feral growl he flung forwards an arm and knocked the device out of Jyou's hand and across the room.

Sight returning now that the attack had subsided, he ran a trembling hand over his face in anger. It had bubbled from the heat of the light and was now burned and cracked. The pain coursed through his body as his skin attempted to heal itself but failed because of his weak body. Violently he lashed forwards and grabbed Jyou up off the couch by the front of his clothing, then threw him against the wall where Gomamon had finally righted himself.

First he kicked the small digimon aside, then approached the coughing boy and lifted him up once more throw him against the wall and held him there with a nearly bone crushing force. Pushing the head to the side, he plunged his sharp teeth deep into the boy's neck and drank hungrily as the blood on it's way back to the heart gushed into his mouth. Jyou whimpered from the immense pain that originated from the tear Vamdemon made in his neck and cried out again as the monster pulled away.

He continued to bleed as he slid down the wall and crumpled on the ground. Gomamon grabbed onto him and spoke, attempting to keep him awake. The partners looked up weakly and fearfully to see Vamdemon glaring downwards above him, blood dribbling down his chin, and wounds on his face finally beginning to slowly mend themselves together.

"You are incredibly lucky I promised your father I would not kill you, brat, or your life would have been extinguished soon after I spotted you in here. But fear not, you're time will soon come."

The doctor emerged from his room, supplies in hand to investigate the sounds that were coming from the living room and nearly dropped the tools when he saw his child.

"Do not approach him." Vamdemon warned, "Or I will renege on my promise and kill him regardless. Leave him there and follow me. I need my slave fixed."

The doctor faltered, torn about how to react, but sighed heavily, sending Jyou an apologetic look, and exited the building. Without warning, Vamdemon scooped up the man and leaped off the side of the building, into the sky. They flew far away from the city, passing a bridge over the sea, and arrived at a small island, where Vamdemon dragged the man to a specific spot where they sank into the earth.

The sudden arrival into the monster's lair startled the doctor, who grew even more apprehensive as ghosts fluttered by him. Tailmon watched from the track room as the man was led forwards and into the main hall, where Vamdemon's slave was eating a meager meal as breakfast. His eyes fell upon the new addition with disdain. Would this man become the latest to fall victim to his master's slaughter? Would he be forced to snuff out the life? Would the bag of flesh before him become the meal at the end of the night?

"What's wrong, boy?" Vamdemon snapped, the weight of the night weighing on his mind as he stood there, exhausted already although the night was still young.

His slave jumped in place at the hostility of his master's voice and spoke, "S-sorry, my Lord. I didn't mean to be rude! Welcome back, master. Did your task go well?"

"Well enough." Vamdemon said, pushing forwards the trembling man. He set the bag he had retrieved from his home and folded his arms, unsure of what to do. "Don't you want to know what this is for?"

"Yes, Sir..." The boy said mechanically.

"This human will fix your leg, so that you can operate better in the tasks I require of you." Vamdemon informed him.

"R-really?" The boy said quickly, surprise invading his voice.

"Yes, brat!" Vamdemon growled. "How disrespectful you are tonight. I should kill him where he stands and let you suffer with your mutilated limb!"

The color drained from the slave boy's face as he clamored to regain his composure. "I-I'm sorry, my Lord! I didn't mean it like that! Please, forgive my rudeness!"

"Only because you are fun." Vamdemon said darkly, and turned. He addressed the doctor, "Fix him, human. Do it well and I might spare your life to make use of you with my other servants."

Picodevimon fluttered down from the entrance to the hidden lair and approached the group in the hall apprehensively. He had heard Vamdemon's angry voice, and was genuinely afraid of relaying the news he had to report to his master.

"Vamdemon-sama..." Picodevimon said reverently, "I'm here with the report..."

"Give it." Vamdemon said quickly, hoping to get it over with as quickly as possible.

"Y-yes master..." Picodevimon croaked. "Our allies positioned in a nearby district has reported that Garudamon has been sighted..."

"...what?" Vamdemon asked quietly, surprised himself. He knew the chosen ones were on Earth as well; Jyou's presence in his home had attested to that, but he didn't realize they were willing to fight and destroy locations on their own planet. Furthermore, if Garudamon, a perfect level, was seen, that must mean... "Which of my servants have fallen?"

Picodevimon drew in a breath and spoke, "Mammon, Raremon, and Gesomon have all been destroyed, master." He chuckled slightly, unable to restrain himself. "Really, the troops that Tailmon brought with her are all useless!"

"What's so funny?" Vamdemon growled, striking the bat digimon along the side with a flash of red lightning.

Picodevimon let out a screech and doubled over in pain. "N-nothing at all, Sir!"

"Have you found the eight child yet?"

"N-no, master, not yet, but we're raising our efforts and expanding our search parameters. We'll find him..."

"The children must have doubled their efforts..." Vamdemon said angrily. He cursed himself many times over for holding himself true to his promise to the doctor he had abducted. He should have killed the pathetic child of sincerity when he was cowering below him. "Hurry! We mustn't let them gain the upper hand."

"Yes, sir!"

"All of you!" Vamdemon said loudly, "Get above, now! Search into the early hours of the morning! I expect some form of success, or you will all pay the price."

"Yes, master!" His servants cried in unison, and frustrated, Vamdemon stalked to his quarters despite the night still being young.

His worry free attitude had melted away. The children were indeed searching for the eighth child and were willing to risk the soundness of their surroundings to do so. He would have to act more swiftly if he was going to find the human first.

Lowering himself into his coffin, he thought about ways to push forwards his plans. He slipped into an restless sleep as he plotted his next move.

* * *

That was longer than I thought it would be... Next chapter is longer it's already written :P and it is set to be released on Halloween!


	8. For the Record

...chapter EIGHT – For the Record

The task was beginning to grow tiresome. He repeated the steps over and over again, to the point where the activity of breaking and entering was no longer entertaining. Find the home, wait until the inhabitants were asleep or out of the way, then search the place and move on. How many more buildings must he look through to discover what he was looking for?

Of course, he should have known better than to trust information that Picodevimon had gathered. The incompetent ball of feathers always managed to screw up somehow, a fact which Vamdemon was growing increasingly tired of. He kept himself sane by imagining painful ways to torment the small digimon when he returned to his lair.

He turned a corner and a small house came into view. It was painted a bright sky blue, and even though it was dark, the shade bore into his eyes almost painfully. If Tailmon hadn't been the one who had given him the location he might have believed the place was intentionally chosen to cause him discomfort.

He approached the door and pressed his back against the wall, ears perked slightly to listen for movement inside. There was a woman's voice, babbling gently, and a child laughing in response. Vamdemon frowned, unhappy the building was occupied, but the lack of a male voice gave him hope for an easy night.

Breathing deeply, he thought about the task at hand. His gaol was a list of addresses of all the children in town that were located on certain school records of some sort .Not only would he have the locations of the known chosen ones, but he would know exactly where to look for the one still unknown. Just the thought of the amount of time he would save made him feel better. He was looking for some sort of documentation... Files, folders, or a database of some sort.

Tailmon had said the woman was high up in the standings of the schooling system, so it made sense that she might have records of the children's homes, and after unknowingly discovering the Kido residence he realized how important and beneficial such information would be.

Allowing his thoughts to drift away, he wrapped gently on the door. From inside the home, the woman's voice died away as she moved to answer his call. Vamdemon wasted no time when the door opened just a few centimeters, forcing his way inside and shutting the wooden opening behind him quickly before grasping tightly the woman's wrists and staring into her eyes menacingly.

"You will remain quiet and cooperate with me fully, or I will kill you." He rasped, "Is that understood?"

She shook her head hurriedly, horror and surprise etched upon her face.

"Speak up, woman, I can't hear you." Vamdemon growled.

"Y-yes!" She whispered quickly. She had tried to say it loudly and clearly with a sense of sureness but it was unable to come. "Whatever you want!"

"What a smart girl." Vamdemon said softly, running a hand up her left arm as he muttered a spell under his breath. As he finished speaking the words a thin mist formed around the door and thickened into a fog. He explained, "So you can't escape."

Her heart skipped a beat as she blinked a few times, even more surprised than before. Not only had the intruder scared her out of her mind but he was able to cast some sort of spell... What was he? She asked hesitantly, "What do you want?"

Vamdemon smirked. "Straight to business, then. That is the best path to take I suppose. Alright then, I will tell you what I want..." He paused, watching the woman lean forwards slightly in anticipation. "I want information, dear girl. You work for this town's education system..."

"I used to..." She corrected automatically. Instantly she regretted it as the intruder's eyes narrowed. She silently prayed that he wouldn't be too angry.

"Explain." He said with a frown.

"I was fired about a week ago." She said timidly, shrinking back now against the wall.

"Why?" He pressed.

"I... I misplaced some important documents that were needed for the start of the school year."

Vamdemon's eyes lit up. "What were they?"

"Class schedules..."

"Excellent." Vamdemon said with satisfaction. Tailmon's information was correct after all. He would be sure to praise her adequately when he returned. "Find them." 

"...what?"

"I will not repeat myself." He said angrily.

"S-sorry..." She stuttered, fear growing. "But I don't know where they are... It might take a while to find them."

He told her darkly. "I have all night."

She swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded proceeding to search. Into draws, cabinets, and file bins she delved, but found nothing. She jumped involuntarily as bats appeared beside her, apparently searching themselves. Painstakingly long seconds passed as she moved from place to place and it hadn't taken long before she had looked through the entire floor of the home and found nothing. With a sick moan, she fell to the ground and began to weep.

Vamdemon approached her from behind slowly, quietly, and placed a hand upon her right shoulder with as much gentleness as she could muster. He needed those documents. If he killed her now, angry as he was, there was good chance that he would not find them. He spoke to her, "You have cooperated, and so, for now, I will not harm you. However, I do not expect you to stop your search. Surely there is a floor of some sort above or below?"

She wiped at her eyes frantically and nodded quickly. "Yes! Yes, there is a basement!"

Vamdemon took her hands and helped her to her feet, giving her a fake look of sincerity and a misleading smile. She smiled back weakly and headed for the door to the basement, glancing back once more to make sure the child was sound before opening it and heading down. Vamdemon glanced at it as well, thinking of what he could do to it later.

When she reached the bottom of the stairway she pressed a switch to turn on the lights and glanced around the room. It was a mess. Toys were tossed about on the floor, left where they had fallen from days past; a result of the child above. In the corner of the room was a desk and computer, where the woman worked when the child was playing.

She returned to work quickly, rummaging through toys and piles of papers in hopes of finding the schedules. Suddenly she paused, a thought popping into her head. '_He said he wouldn't harm me... I can pretend to be searching and simply tell him I can't find it... Then those kids wont have to suffer whatever he has in store for them..._'

But it was too late. Vamdemon, searching himself, seemed to have found what he was looking for. Grasped in his hands was a white binder filled with the schedules of children in the school district. "Right in plain sight, on the table here. Things lost are always in places like that."

"Yes..." She said feeling sick. "Was that all you needed?"

Vamdemon opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by a bang from the floor above. Multiple voice erupted from the entrance to the home. He hadn't been focusing on the weak spell at the door, and it had broken. Slightly panicked, Vamdemon sent the woman a cold, hateful glare. "What have you done, you impudent wench?!"

She shook her head tremendously, a horrified expression upon her face. "Nothing! I didn't call anyone! You saw me searching the whole time! I never had a chance!"

Vamdemon grunted in acknowledgment, knowing she was speaking the truth. "Get in the corner. Stay there, low, and remain silent."

She nodded and moved out of sight quickly. The sounds drew nearer as the men on the floor above approached the door. Bangs sounded at the threshold of the basement as the door finally it was kicked in. The men filed down the stairway, guns pointed forwards towards their assumed intruder.

They were shouting words, but Vamdemon wasn't listening, uncaring, not wanting to put forth the energy to pull out each one. He turned, ignoring them, and placed the binder onto the table he had found it on. Turning around again, he faced the men. Folding his arms, he stared at them, laughing.

Their shouting died in place at the sound of the cold voice. One man stepped forward and put pressure on the trigger of his gun. "Put up your hands and get on the ground!"

"Or you'll do what?" Vamdemon challenged, smirking mockingly.

"I'll shoot."

Vamdemon's laughter rose. "On what basis? What have I done to harm anyone?"

"Neighbors on the street reported that you forced your way inside, thus breaking the law."

"So I did, but that hardly is a reason to harm me."

The man furrowed his brows and began to push down the trigger, intending to shoot out the suspects legs. Vamdemon, angered, reacted instantly, flinging his arm forwards and knocking the weapon out of the police officer's hand and far away to the other end of the room. Simultaneously his other arm sped forwards and grasped at the mans neck, lifting him up off the ground with a rock hard grip.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, the others began to shoot. Bullets traveled through the air, penetrating the flesh of Vamdemon's arms and legs. He twitched as the twinges of pain flooded through his body, but held strong his grasp. Some of the bullets remained lodged in his skin, where his strong bones had blocked their pathway, but most exited through the other side. These wounds, where the bullet had not been blocked, began to heal, creating horror struck expression to appear on the faces of the men.

Angered even further, Vamdemon decided to cast away the seriousness of the even and have fun, and closed his hand suddenly then pulling back, ripping out the throat of the one clutched in his grip. Blood poured from the gaping hole as the body slid to the ground into a lump. The metallic smell invaded the room, causing the other men to cover their mouths and noses in an attempt to block it out. More bullets flew by, but nothing would stop the monster now.

He crossed his arms and drew them back, unleashing a torrent of bats that rushed forwards and removed the weapons from the hands of the men. Next he rose an arm high into the air and formed a pulsating red orb, which he held there for a few seconds, allowing his power to flow into it. Then, flinging his arm forwards, the ball extended into a long, crimson chain and struck another man across the chest with great force. He let out a gurgled sound as the whip tore his body and melted through his flesh as his mid body slid apart into two pieces and his organs flooded onto the ground. The bats previously unleashed fell upon them and began to clean up the mess.

The third man turned as the second man fell apart and moved to run, but wasn't fast enough. Vamdemon reached forwards and grabbed the back of his head then jerked him to the side. There was a sound of separation as the man's body flew across the room and smashed into the wall. Still held in his hands, blood dripping down chain of white, was the man's head, which had been ripped cleanly off his shoulders.

Vamdemon rose the head above his own, allowing the blood to drain down the gleaming bone and into his mouth, swallowing the liquid in huge gulps, relishing in the bitter sweet taste. He smirked at the flavor, which reeked of alcohol. The officer had been drinking. Dropping the skull to the ground, his eyes scanned the room for remaining signs of life.

Sure enough there had been a woman in the ranks of the men. A rookie officer, by her timid appearance. Her gun had long since fallen, abandoned out of fear. The bats, now satiated and having disposed of the gizzards on the floor, had her pinned against the wall, trapped.

He sauntered up to her, face and front of his shirt covered in blood, and tilted her chin upwards so he could stare into her tear stricken eyes. He smiled widely, relishing in her immense fear.

"You are a brave soul to have remained silent, girl." Vamdemon whispered close to her face. The smell of his blood stained breath made her gag. "I admire that, so I will express my unrelenting generosity. There is another human in this room. Another woman. I will allow one of you to live, and each of you will decide who."

"What!" The other cried out, anger and rage boiling over in her voice. She stood unsteadily beside a puddle of vomit where she had emptied her stomach as the murders occurred in her basement.. Vamdemon pulled away from the police woman and shifted his gaze to the irate owner of the home. She continued, "You promised you wouldn't hurt me if I cooperated."

"I did say that I wouldn't harm you, yes, but only for the moment." He said, then thought for a moment. With a smirk, he added, "I never said I would not kill you."

The woman blanched, and cried out without hesitation, "Take her! You promised me! I-I have a child!"

Vamdemon smirk disappeared and morphed into a thin line. A contemplative expression on his face, he turned back to the police woman. "And you? Who shall you condemn to a death, girl?"

Her voice was quiet, choked with fear and despair, "If I said to take her you might kill us both, angered that a verdict could not be reached. There is already a call against me..." She drew in a breath as a shiver ran through her body. "So I volunteer myself. I only request, if I may, that you do it as painlessly as possible."

"Because you have asked it of me you shall receive. Lift your chin dear."

She shuddered once more, but tilted her head back, tensing her muscles in preparation for the inevitable as he stepped forward and pressed his body against hers. Resting his face against her neck, he swiftly bit down, piercing her skin with his sharp teeth, and into her artery injected a potent fluid into the blood stream. Her eyes drooped before he could even pull away, and upon his release, she slid to the ground – dead to the eye.

The other woman smiled slightly, bending over and stretching her legs whilst glancing around the room at the gore spread on her floor. Meanwhile, Vamdemon bent down himself and picked up the police woman's weapon. He turned it over in his hands, analyzing the strange machine, then, without warning, he pointed it at the woman's leg and pulled the trigger. She cried out as the limb buckled beneath her weight and fell to the ground, clutching at the wound as he shot her three more times, in the arms and abdomen. He approached and knelt beside her in order to place the muzzle of the gun against her head.

"Stop this..." She pleaded, "You just said you would spare me."

"Did I? I don't recall ever speaking those words." Vamdemon said menacingly. "You are a greedy, miserable little wench. Indeed. If you had each nominated yourself you both would have walked, but you chose instead to condemn another to death. For that you will die."

"But my baby-"

He pulled the trigger, interrupting her speech, and her brain splattered against the wall. Her body slumped sideways, dead.

"Worry not," He spoke softly, running a hand over the dead woman's hair, flattening it against her skull and into the wet hole. "I will put him to good use. An excellent snack he will make for my ghouls."

Across the room, the police woman stirred, venom from earlier wearing off. She groaned and sat up with difficulty, staring around the room in incredible confusion. Hadn't she just died? Vamdemon abandoned the gun where he had made the kill and approached the police woman, sliding down the wall beside her to squat low to the ground.

"What...just happened?" She asked groggily, "How...why am I alive?"

"I changed my mind." He said sweetly, enjoying the game he was playing with her emotions. "I decided your soul was more worthy of salvation than hers was."

"Oh..." She said quietly, trying not to look where the other woman had been in fear of what she might see.

"But I wonder what I should do with you." He mused, glancing at her. "Should I bring you to my lair and make use of your incredible sternness, or should I present you to your master – bloody and half dead? Or kill you even still? Oh the decisions to make... Why don't you decide. I grow weary of the choices the night has given me."

"Either I subject myself to slavery or I risk the slaughter of my squadron?" She asked.

"Essentially." He said, amused she had blatantly skipped the third option he had given; her death.

She breathed deeply for a few moments. "What would you do with me if I were to serve you?"

Vamdemon smirked and thought how to word his plan so that it would give her hope. "Perhaps I can appoint you as a...personal trainer...for one of my servants... Yes. You seem to have abilities your friends over there did not realize existed. Maybe if you were in charge this situation could have been alleviated through speech, though I do enjoy the thrill of a kill..."

"You aren't just saying these things." She stated. He grinned, bloody fangs reflecting in the light of the room. He knew she had said that out of weariness. She would never have the chance to know how right she was. She sighed, and put her hands to her face. "I don't want to see any more death..."

"Then you will come with me?"

"Yes."

Vamdemon rose at her acknowledgment and helped the woman to her feet. He retrieved the binder of information he had come for to begin with and helped her up the stairs.

"Will you really kill it? The child?"

"Yes." He said, uncaring, picking it up by the arm. Glancing around, he spotted a backpack in the corner of the room. He retrieved it and put inside both the binder and the baby.

"What if I could find him a home?" She pleaded, but the glare he sent her way silenced her, and they both left through the door.

Parked along the street were patrol cars. Their lights were still flashing and had attracted a small crowd. He watched in amusement when they took on surprised looks as they left the building and walked towards the vehicles.

"You can operate one of those?" He asked, motioning towards them.

"Yes." She whispered, moving close to him under the scrutiny of the on lookers. She was fearful they would try and make a citizens arrest. They would all kill themselves. But it didn't happen. They stayed put as Vamdemon sliding into the passenger seat of an idling vehicle. Hesitantly she entered the other side and shifted the gear. He pointed in a direction and she started driving.

"Do you have a name?" He asked, trying to appear more friendly and personable. She would need to be comfortable around him if his plan was to succeed.

"...Margaret Hawking." She answered.

"Do you have a way to contact your master?" He asked further. Her face grew pale as she nodded. "Do it. I would like to speak with him."

"Yes, sir." She whispered, and picked up the receiver from the dashboard. She remained silent, afraid to reveal to him that her boss was a woman as well. The number dialed, she waited for the office to pick up.

One ring. Two.. Three...

"Commander Shiko? What has taken so long? Why isn't your squadron back?"

The strong clear voice took Vamdemon by surprise, but he smirked it away and took the talking box from the woman's hand.

"Your squadron is dead, friend." He informed her with as much gentleness as he could muster.

There was a drawn out silence on the other end before the voice exploded. "Who is this?"

"How rude." Vamdemon chuckled. "You should speak more kindly to your men's executioner."

"They are dead..?" She repeated. She hadn't believed him at first, but with the way he was speaking there seemed to be a grim truth in his voice.

"Oh yes. I killed them. All of them. Those filthy wastes of flesh met their end before they knew what hit them. Their blood didn't even taste of good health. No, it was riddled with drugs and alcohol. Was it any wonder they were so quick to shoot at me? Your woman, on the other hand... Her blood, what little I tasted, was crisp and sweet; full of positive energy. You had found a gem in her. It's too bad you wasted her on them and lost her forever."

"Hawking!" The woman cried out, disgusted.

"I am here." 

"What has that lunatic done to you? Where are you going?"

"I can't tell you..." She said quietly.

"Hawking... Give her back, monster."

"I will not." Vamdemon said sternly. "You see, I gave her a choice. Come with me, or return to her master. Since she is such an intelligent woman, she chose to keep me away from you. If I met you face to face, after all, I might have killed you for sport."

"You brazen son of a bitch!"

"Enough." Vamdemon growled, leaning forwards in his seat. "I have a message for you and you had better heed it well. My name is Vamdemon. I have traveled here from another world, arrived with the intent of ruling over this one. Only one human stands in my way, and I am very close to finding and killing it. Do not, and I mean what I say, send your forces after me again. Your bullets do not work, and you will simply be sending your men to their deaths. Help your own, do your reports, as you have been, but do not come after me. I hope I have made myself clear."

The woman struggled with how to reply to the flood of information. "It is you, isn't it. You're the one responsible for the recent disappearances and deaths..."

"Ah, so you aren't as stupid as I thought you were." Vamdemon mocked, leaning back in his seat. "Yes, I am responsible for what you have described. Don't be expecting your missing persons back, by the way. I am having far too much fun with them to even consider it."

With those final words he terminated the connection The girl glanced at him from the drivers seat, but held her tongue, driving in silence, afraid to speak. After a long few minutes she garnered up the courage. "Will you tell me more about who you are? What you are? What you said before didn't make sense to me. You aren't...human. You can't be."

"That knowledge comes with a price."

"...I'm willing to pay it. I'm curious." She said.

Vamdemon laughed silently. "You made the choice, remember that in the future when your time comes. You are correct, girl. I am not human. I am a digimon, that is, a digital monster, and I hail from the digital world. My name is Vamdemon, but for the short time we are together you shall not address me as so. I am your master now, but you seem to understand how to speak to me already."

"Yes, Sir."

"Excellent." He said, staring out the window at the lights of the city. Humans were out and about, still not paying heed to the warnings on their news stations. He wondered if his most recent slaughter would be relayed, or if his words would have scared the woman into keeping silent.

The woman that was driving glanced at him once more, curiosity getting the best of her. "What do you think of this place? Is it anything like your world?"

"Oh no." He said casually, "The digital world is much less busy than this one. There are no cars, far less artificial lighting, and much less noise. There is more fighting, much more actually, but that is how life should be. You fight to survive. If you win, you get stronger, and live on. If you lose, you are weakened, and die off. This place seems similar at first glance, but it is weak, pompous individuals who think they are above all others, who think their beliefs are better than others, and somehow manage to prosper. They use other means to gain power, despite their inherent weakness. In my world that doesn't work. Digimon who try and survive on their cunning alone tend to get stomped out long before they can rise to power like many of those humans have."

"But wouldn't you agree that you are the same as those people? You are here to exert power over others, and to spread your own beliefs, are you not?"

Vamdemon narrowed his eyes slightly, "In a way, yes, but that is not my only goal, and I certainly hold the physical ability to back up my mind, girl. You see, I am acting primarily out of self preservation. A group of human children were making rounds in my world and eliminating established rulers. I am up next, you see, but they alone can't defeat me. No, they need another human that resides somewhere in this region. Instead of waiting around for them to destroy me, I've come here to kill that human first. Then, in retaliation, I will establish my power as the ruler of this world. It makes sense, wouldn't you agree?"

"I suppose so." She uneasily, staring around in confusion as she took the final turn he instructed and ended up in a dead end alleyway. A feeling of unease fell over her. "Is this the right place."

"It is." Vamdemon confirmed, stepping out of the car. She followed his example with uncertainty, then watched as he put his hands together then stretching them forwards created a ball of fire that was projected at the vehicle they had just inhabited. With an explosion it burst into flames that rose high into the night sky and licked the brick of the surrounding buildings.

"W-why did you do that? The buildings will catch!" She screeched, glancing around frantically.

"Exactly my intention." He whispered, flames reflecting dangerously in his eyes. "Now come here, into my arms." He said, pushing the bag he had been carrying towards his back more securely. "I must fly the rest of the way."

Her head spun at the idea. Did she hear him correctly? Fly? Though she had her doubts, she stepped forwards and embraced him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, lifting her up, and within a few seconds they were soaring through the sky, leaving the burning car behind and heading over a large body of water.

She watched in awe as the sky and stars passed by in a blur of dark blue, black, and yellow-white light. This creature could actually fly! She shut her eyes, feeling free, and allowed the weightless sensation to take control of her. She became so wrapped up in the fantasy that she hadn't noticed when they had stopped moving.

There was a quiet sound. A low growl, very close, and a gentle splash as her feet dipped slightly into water. She opened her eyes only to meet Vamdemon's, which were glinting menacingly. Her heart began to pound as a sickening smell invaded her senses. She was no longer in the monster's arms, she noticed. Instead she was resting on something that felt wet and slimy beneath her body. Slowly she glanced down, and numerous sharp white rocks came into view. She reached forward and felt them. They were smooth and polished; not at all like rocks. Her heart thudded even faster as her eyes met Vamdemon's once more

"I already have a toy." He whispered, "I don't need another." Then he laid a hand gently on her chest, just above her breast, and pushed her backwards so that she rested completely on the wet object she was previously just sitting on. The foul smell grew stronger as she gazed upwards at a red ridged sky. She felt herself moving up and down slightly as a thick wind blew past her; a result of something breathing beside her. Her eyes grew heavy as she noticed there were rocks above her as well that were somehow embedded into the sky.

Vamdemon floated back a few feet and watched with amusement as the girl remained there in place without a struggle, too afraid to move, still not realizing what sort of situation she was in. He waited a few moments, and relished in the scream when it finally arrived.

The row of rocks had suddenly snapped down from the sky and impaled themselves into her legs just below her waist as her vision was plunged into darkness. She could feel blood running from the wounds as it traveled down the slight incline towards her head and pooled upon the slimy thing she was laying on. She struggled to breath as the darkness lingered and the sickening smell grew thick.

There was light again. She gasped for air as suddenly her world tilted downwards even more, causing her to slide a few inches backwards. It grew dark again, and the rocks slammed into a new spot on her legs, just above her knees, causing a fresh wave of blood to flow towards her.

A sudden realization flooded over her as the light of the night appeared. Vamdemon's cruel laughter rang through her mind, although it was muffled by her own blood and the spittle of whatever creature she was positioned inside. She slid back even more than before and was thrust into a small opening. Her head and shoulders were forced to enter the tight space where there was no chance to breath. Her own mouth opened and shut a few times in an attempt to draw in air, but the effort was futile.

She felt a breeze at her legs again, but with her position she could no longer see the light that previously accompanied it. A sudden pressure surrounded her face and torso and she was dragged backwards by convulsing walls, then, once again, her legs were dug into, this time down by her ankles. Her senses were fading.

The hold on her legs lifted and there was another strong tug as she was pulled backwards even more, to the point where her head dipped downwards awkwardly compared to the rest of her body. The tightness reached her elbows now, but she couldn't feel it anymore. Her body had grown numb from asphyxiation. She never realized when one final tug drew her down a long tunnel that emptied into a chamber with thick, yellow acid that sloshed about her body and proceeded to break her down.

Vamdemon smiled in satisfaction as the woman disappeared from his sight and Megaseadramon, content with its meal, fell back to the water. She had been getting on his nerves with her questions, and he had said to her too much, so it was necessary to be rid of her.

He flew away, quickly heading towards his lair so that he could bring a close to the night, and fell through the ground into his base with the thrill of the woman's death still fresh in his mind. Passing through the main room, he withdrew the writhing child from the bag at his side and tossed it into the air at his Bakemon servants, which grasped it with feral impulses before it could even hit the ground. It cried as they tore it apart and devoured it's flesh.

"Doctor." Vamdemon said, addressing the man seated in the corner of the room. He was watching the Bakemon's carnage with wide eyes that snapped towards Vamdemon as he approached. "I have a task for you. Follow me."

With a sigh, the man stood and trailed after his captor through a hallway and up stairs, eventually coming to stop in his master's main quarters. Vamdemon sat upon the lid of his coffin and stripped his boots and gloves followed by the layers of torn clothing sticking to his body. He prodded at the wounds still trickling with blood with curiosity, as he had never bled for so long before.

"You can remove these?" Vamdemon questioned, leaning back to look at the man.

"They are bullet holes?" The doctor asked with surprise.

"Yes."

"I can do it..." The doctor muttered and reached into the bag beside him for a scalpel and forceps, then, kneeling beside Vamdemon's legs, got to work digging into the flesh and fishing out the lodged bullets. He watched in amazement as he worked at how the wounds closed up within minutes of being cleared.

It took a long time to remove all the bullets from the body. The doctor wanted ask how the injuries might have occurred, but was afraid of finding out what had happened to whoever had been stupid enough to shoot the monster begin with. A sudden panicked thought ran through his mind. Most likely they were dead. His son, who apparently was a target of this monster, wouldn't stand a chance the next time him and the vampire met. Sadly he wiped off the blade before standing and being dismissed from the room.

There were still flakes of blood on his skin, so Vamdemon wiped himself down with a wet rag before pulling on fresh clothing and sliding back the lid of his coffin. He lowered himself into the box and relaxed into the plush interior with the treasure of the night clutched in his hand. With a satisfied smile he flipped open the cover and skimmed through the contents. Page upon page of printed lines greeted his excited eyes as the addresses of all the children in the school district appeared to him. It was the perfect tool. The chosen child he was after would at least know basic functions in order to be expected to fight along side a digimon, and as soon as human children could speak they were thrown into some level of schooling.

Included in the list, as he expected, were the existing chosen children's names and homes. He already knew the Yagami location as well as Kido, but now he had them all. Those places, at the very least, would not need to be searched.

_Tomorrow night_, he thought, _the real hunt begins. The time for fun has passed. The eighth child is within my grasp._ He smiled, _I can already taste victory. Soon the chosen ones will fall, and this world will be mine to rule._

The door creaking open drew his attention away from those thoughts. His human captive peered around the corner of the threshold, eyes asking if he would be required that night.

"Come in, boy." Vamdemon said in high spirits "I've got a job for you that I believe you will enjoy."

"Yes, master?" The child wondered, entering the room and sitting upon a stool to the side of the box.

"First, tell me, how is your leg feeling? Is it healing well?"

"Yes, sir." He said, gratitude clear in his voice. "Thanks to you. I can almost bend it now."

"Excellent." Vamdemon said pleasantly, "Now that you can walk with relative stability I will grant you a new freedom."

"Freedom, Sir?"

"Yes..." Vamdemon said quietly, "I will be putting you into the search team for the eighth child. You will be monitored of course, by Tailmon or Wizarmon, but you will be able to get some fresh air and exercise. How do you feel about that? Are you happy?"

"Yes!" The boy said quickly, eyes brightened and full of excitement.

Vamdemon smirked and held out his arms expectantly. "Wonderful. Now, come here child. Celebrate with me my impending victory."


End file.
